The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-04-16

firmly built homes. In Westminster the
families of Yingling, Powder, Fisher and
Matthias, derived from their tan yards,
worked by their own hands, the founda-
ton, and in instances, the larger part of the
substance that their descendants enjoy at
this day.
The same was the case with many others
of the most respectable and worthy families
of the county.
But agriculture was, and continues to
be, the great source of competence and
comfort to the people of this community.
Little Pipe Creek Valley, Sans Creek
Valley, Silver Run Valley, Bachman' s
Valley and Cranberry Valley, especially, as
well as some other parts of the territory,
have always responded with bounteous re-
turn to the touch of labor, and our agri-
culturalists have habitually, and ungrudg-
ingly, put their own hands to the plough.
A larger part of the territory taken from
Baltimore county was not naturally so fer
tile, nor were the lands in the Taneytown
region, and in parts of Myers District.
But within these fifty years labor and lime
have done their work, and it is now hard
to distinguish one part of the county from
another, in respect to productlveness
"Labor rincit omnia" was said of old.
We have seen, and do know, that labor is
all the soil requires to prompt it to put out
its blossoms, and its fruits, and its golden
stalks. Labor! How dried up the soul,
how contracted the mind, how distorted
the faculties of the man who does not re-
alize that labor is the most honorable of
human callingsl Labor that produces all
things; that, under God, creates all things;
without which subsistence ends; without
which, agriculture, commerce, science,
manufactures, all mechanic arts and man
himself, cease to be! What is the depth of
crime that would Cypress or defraud it :?
My young friend, do you seek to avoid a
horny palm, or do you conceit that soft
one is nicer, and will better commend you
to the respect and confidence of men, or
will invite more readily the blushing bud
dings Of the maiden heart Believe me,
you are wrong Try it once; go get a
horny palm, polished by honest labor, and
see how all will smile approval, so soon as
they find that you are in real earnest. To
be man is one thing. To be, or to ape a
mincing dude, good for nothing but to be a
sign for tailor's trimmings, or to exhibit
the stones, and the setting, of the jeweler,
is another thing; and that other thing is
not man. Do you want an honest, good
woman to make for you an elysium on
earth. by filling home with her love? Go
first and get to be full fedged man, and
then go and pray to her, but don't dare to
do it before. And You can carry with you
no fuller assurance of good faith than a
hand hardened by honest labor.
Many changes have taken place in these
fifty years. The quantity of grain produc-
ed has very greatly increased-fourfold, as
l am assured by better judges than | am.
This was then generally converted into
-four at our local mills, and that, with pork
and other products, transported to Balti-
more by the farmers with their own teams.
Now it is taken to market by the Western
Maryland and other railroads. The popu-
lation has more than doubled, That of
Westminster has increased skiold, Union
Bridge has grown from an ineonsiderable
village to be large, vigorous town. -Soof
New Windsor, in lesser degree. fancy
town has grown materially in population
and business enterprise. Nearly or quite
all the towns, Manchester, Hampstead,
Uniontown, Sykesville, Mt. Airy, Finks-
burg, Myersville and others have increased.
The schoolhouses, which were then very
inferior, have been replaced, generally, with
commodious, comfortable brick structures.
There are now four national banks, with
aggregate deposits exceeding halfa million,
and two savings institutions with $4,000
more, besides two private bankers and an
other recently organized savings institution.
Then the amount of county taxes levied
was something over $4,000. Now it is
over $50, 900.
Fifty years ago there were no questions
of organization Of capital, or of resistant
organization of labor. Each went on quietly
and contentedly in its own sphere, neither
seeking to interfere unduly with the other,
Here moderate wealth, acquired by careful
industry, consorted cheerfully with mechan-
ical labor, seeking livelihood and modest ac
emulation. No community could be
found in which moderation in all things,
and equality amongst all men, prevailed as
the rule of daily life, more fully than in
this community. Personal pretentiousness
was unknown. Assumption of superiority
over neighbors was unheard Of Substanti-
atty was essentially characteristic of the
people and of their homes.
Corporate poRer and importance, with
the peepliarities which ma1k them every
where, had not attained hold amongst
them, and has not yet to any very appreciable
extent, but to sufficient extent.
Besides the Western Maryland Railroad,
which runs through the entire length of
the county, there is the B. & o. skirting
the southern part, and the Frederick and
Pa. Lige the western, and the Baltimore
and Hanover the northern.
The milk business is Q new feature, and
has grown to very large proportion It is
estimated that one and half million gal
Ions of milk are sent yearly by our farmers
by rail to the Baltimore market. The
manufacture of ice cream has become a
business of no mean importance. At the
former period there were several fulling
mills, at which was manufactured the cloth
used by the people in their clothing,
These have disappeared.
There were also paper mills, which have
gone much into 'sdesqetude." The same
Is true of the country Touring mills. Ip
short all the Industries, which were carried
on by the owaes, with an. apprentice, and
occasionally jourpeymap og two, and
which were parcel Of, and interviewer with,
the home interests of the community, have
given way to the advance of aggregated
capital employed in manufactures, which
now produces the clothing, the boots and
shoes, the hats, the wagons, the ploughs,
the horse shoes, apd even the horse shoe
nails, which were fosmerly produced at
home by individual industry.
But the lands remain, much improved IN
productiveness, although to their cultivation
increased expcnsiveness has been added in
some respects, as in the need of nanufac-
tured fertilizers, which seems to be univers-
ally acknowledged. a.